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Thursday, 12 August 2010

Grimy Great Britain uncovered by Boost Your Wash

Now I am one for the theory, a little dirt never did any harm and actually builds a bit of immunity and resistance to common bugs.

I do love a clean kitchen and bathroom. The hygiene methods that became instilled early on were drummed into me by a stern Home Economics teacher who spent the first part of our coursework showing us pictures of bacteria and mould and turning every stomach in the classroom.

It served to keep me cleaning and understanding the reasons for it, but not being obsessive about clutter and occasional mess, life is for living after all.

I possibly am like most people and like clean sheets and clothes, or so I thought.

The following is what I recently read by a study from Boost Your Wash and it made me shudder a good few times, do a bit of excessive head scratching and feel like jumping in the shower, despite the one I had already had.

The UK is a filthy nation, but we’re not talking dirt and grime in the street, this is the dirt and grime on your sheets.

5000 adults were questioned about their laundry habits for a study commissioned by Boost Your Wash, a brand new washing enhancer.

Nearly one in ten adults admit to only cleaning their bed linen every couple of months, or when they have a good reason.

A further 25% of the UK only wash their sheets once a month leaving dead skin, saliva and worse... to fester for 30 days and 30 nights.

When it comes to washing our smalls, we don’t! Nearly a quarter of men (24%) admit to wearing their pants or boxers more than once without washing; 20% of them do so on a regular basis and 6% always do it!

Women may be keeping their ‘undies’ clean, but they are not without dirty secrets, wearing their bras on average four times before washing. But a scary 8% of women wear a bra ten times or more before reaching for the detergent.

Louise Perry, Boost Your Wash spokesperson said, “In today’s society we are all so busy that it seems people prefer to squirt than rinse! 62% of people we surveyed masked the smell of unwashed clothes with perfume or aftershave”

The research has revealed the Top 20 Dirtiest Cities by ranking them according to how infrequently bed linen and underwear was washed; and how reliant on perfume or aftershave residents were to disguise unpleasant odours:

Top 20 Dirtiest cities

1. Leicester 11. Norwich

2. Birmingham 12. Coventry

3. Stoke-on-Trent 13. Wolverhampton

4. Manchester 14. Belfast

5. Aberdeen 15. St Albans

6. Bristol 16. Newcastle Upon Tyne

7. Leeds 17. Chester

8. Cardiff 18. Derby

9. London 19. Nottingham

10. Cambridge 20. Bradford

Yes, Leicester is the city has topped the dirtiest poll but maybe it’s not surprising when the research also revealed that one in twenty residents doesn’t put a wash on every week.

But the research doesn’t just point the finger at Leicester.

Louise Perry, Boost Your Wash spokesperson continues: “A worrying 8% of the population don’t even bother with a laundry basket and ditch dirty garments on the floor instead demonstrating we are getting lazy with our laundry.”

20% of the UK only put a washing load on when the laundry basket is overflowing or 7% wait until they have run out of pants!

Louise Perry, Boost Your Wash spokesperson adds “As a nation we are washing on lower and lower temperatures, 78% choose to wash on 40 degrees or less, which is great for the environment, but also provides a great environment for germs to breed. Washing at 40 degrees or below just isn’t a hot enough temperature to kill all germs and bacteria.”

But it’s not just germs rearing their ugly heads; the survey also revealed that washing is the cause of rows with 29% admitting to arguing over the laundry.

But be warned, 5% who took extreme measures and actually broke up with someone because they didn’t wash their clothes and sheets enough.

Now I reached for the Boost Your Wash pretty sharpish, it has crossed my mind that washing at lower temperatures may be great for the environment, but when I have two sporty children who get mucky and sweaty, a husband who goes out in shirt and tie, but has often been a technical advisor in a sewerage plant it may be too low.

Its a sturdy little cleaner, presented in a reassuringly sturdy little bottle. You are advised to put 1-2 capfulls in with your fave detergent. The first time I used one cap, it had great results and I will probably stick with that for most washes that need that extra boost.

Boost Your Wash will get your clothes stain free, germ free, odour free and generally give you a helping hand with the laundry.

Boost Your Wash is a laundry enhancer with a unique formula, which is designed to transform your favourite washing detergent into a power cleaner, even at 30 degrees. Designed to work in partnership with washing powders, liquids or tablets, Boost Your Wash is the perfect addition to any laundry load when it needs an extra ‘boost' to remove stubborn stains, grime, smells and nasty nightmares!

One in five washes needs an extra helping hand, whether it be to shift stains, kill germs or remove odours, Boost Your Wash containing antibacterial properties can solve all of these issues.

I did like the extra insurance from Boost Your Wash that I am getting clothes not just looking clean but also physically clean. It work well on grass stained running kit, great for sweat smells. Paige also had a fight with some ketchup and lost, it was removed with no problems at all, due I believe to the extra capful of Boost Your Wash

To know that its also removing germs makes me feel so much cleaner and the shudders will soon subside!